Drop hook device



Patented Aug. 26, 1952 .i,g.; N-I,T D S ATE Fredrick W.

S PATENT OFFICE 2,608,432 DROP HOOK DEVICE Golfing, Danville, IlL, assignor ,to

Coiling Hoist Company, Danville, 111., a corpo ration Application August12, 1948, Serial No. 43,901 4 Claims. (01. 294-83) This inventionrelates to a drop or quick releas'e'hook device. One. chief object ofthis invention is to provide' a hook, structure that is normallydisposed in openi or closed position and normally constrained to thatposition.

v A corollary thereto is that the invention is of quick release type,the release being effected manually and from a remote position ifdesired. Supplementary objectives are to have such device arrangedtoautomatically initiate closing upon presentationto the open hook of amember to be held thereby, automatically complete the closing, and topermanently lock the hook in closed position to preventaccidental manualrelease thereof.

'A second chief object of this invention is to provide a cable, chain orlike support for same and provide means to adjustably associate theaforesaid with the, hook portion whereby the aforesaid may be disposedin adjusted position and held inthat position. V

One chief feature of the invention resides in the toggle character ofthe hook actuating mechanism." Supplementary features reside in theinstrumentalities provided to accomplish the corollary and supplementaryobjectives aforesaid.

, 'A 'second chief ffeature resides in the pivotal (and if desireduniversal) joint connection of the hook to a combination pulley, pawland ratchet structure arranged for cable, chain or like supportpurposes. v Y

, .XOthe'rI objects'and features of the invention will be set forth morefully hereinafter.

j The full nature of the invention will be understood'from theaccompanying drawings and thefollowing description and claims;

. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of combination tension maintainer andreleasable hook embodying the invention, the hook parts being shown inclosedpositiono Fig.2 is an end elevation thereof. l 1 Fig.3 is aviewsimilar toFig. 1 and of the hook portion. only and with parts showninthe open hook or released position. j l

In Figs. ,1- and 2,0f the drawings a pair of plateslfihavingouter'bosses [6a at their upper ends are apertured to take shaft01' pin 40 upon which is mounted a combination pulley and ,ratchethavingpulley portion I5 and side flanges inglysecure the spacer and plates l6together.

ff As shown,-the-spacer-lugs 39 have two-arms 39a extended upwardly toform withfplates- I6 cliamber-=' into whichthe aforesaid ratchets 3|project. "Theplates are apertured at"33 and rotatably disposed thereinis shaft 34 with an- 2 gularly and exteriorly disposed end 35 forming anactuating arm.

Upon said shaft 34 and within the last mentioned chamber and disposedadjacent each plate I6 is a pawl 32 in coplanar alignment with theadjacent ratchet 3|. A tapered pin 36 in pawl hole 32a secures the pawlto the shaft and a tension spring 31 is connected at opposite ends tothe plate l6 and the smaller end of pin 36.

Thus each pawl is normally constrained "to ratchet engagement andprevents retrograde movement of same. Arm 35, when actuated, rocks thepawls to ratchet release position. The draft on the pawls is such thatslight ratchet advance is required to permit the pawls to freethemselves of the ratchet teeth.

Extending across the lowermost chamber is a pin 45 secured against axialdisplacement by cotter keys 46. A tongue 44 is disposed or projects intosaid chamber and the pin 45 extends through said tongue. .Hence a tongueand slot type pivotal connection is provided between the tensioning andhook portions of the structure so that if the cable, chain or the like,associated with the pulley is generally directed angularly ofthe loadcarried by the hook, the aforesaid articulation is of self accommodatingcharacter thereby preventing breakage of the connection which wouldoccur if the tension maintainer and hook were rigidly connected and notarticulated.

The tongue 44 comprises an extension of the spacing member 43. Plates 48are secured together with member 43 therebetween by thebolts and nuts41. Member 43 includes biased face 43a. Disposed adjacent thereto andbetween plates 48 is an L-shaped member 49 having one end voted on pivot41a and having its opposite end connected to pull device 50 such as acord, ring or the like. L-member 49 serves as a release cam.

The two plates 48 having extensions are apertured at 55c and notched at5|. The latter form the socket of the hook having the mouth formingmember 54 between the jaw portions 52 .on said plates, the member 54being secured therebetween as at 54a. i

Another jaw member 56 having a laterally offset jaw portion 56a isadapted to engage portion 54 when the hook is closed and is pivoted inend portions 53 of said plates at apertures 55a by-studs 55 on oppositesides of member 56.

Member 56 has arm extension 5'l disposed between the plates and same ispivoted at the remote end to the adjacent ends of straddling links 58 at51a. These links at their other ends are pivotally connected at 58a tothe'innerlend of cam lever 59 pivoted at 60 between the, plates andhavingoutward extension BIJ, I

This cam lever Iii-59 is L shaped and its fr ee end has cam portion 62engaged by release lever :49 :tf49a when the hook is to beopened, seeFig.1.

Disposed' withinsocket5|, see Fig. 8; when the hook is openis projection63 that is carried-by arm 51 otjaw member. 56. When this Projection isload engaged the jaw member is tilted counterclockwise to tilt thelinkage over center as it. were and start the hook to closing. A spring64 anchored at Ma bears at one end at 65 upon position shown in Fig.3wherein the hook is open.

To prevent accidental release the plates 43 have registering holes 48ain which isv disposed detachable pin 65- secured by cotter keys 61. Thusthehook may be locked and held closed and prevented from opening untilthis lock pin is re-. moved. This prevents accidental manual release,etc..;for pin 66 prevents links 58 from moving from the positionshown inFig. 1 to that shown in Fig. ,3, WhiCh is essential when the hook is tobeopened.

Note the jaw 52-e-54 is stationary while jaw 56 is tiltable. Thefirstisstraight and the. other L-shapd so thatthe load, such asa ring orloop, will readily slip out of the socket when the hook isreleased.

The invention claimed is:

1. A hook structure comprising in combination anhousing including astationary jaw and. an L-shaped jaw pivotally supported in saidhousing,- ;an L-shaped lever having one leg pivotally supported in saidhousing, a link having one end pivotally connected to .the leg of saidL-shaped jaw and theopposite end thereof pivotally connected to the freeend of said pivoted leg. of said lever, an operating arm pivotallysupported in said housing having. a cam portion operatively engageablewith the other leg of said lever for efiecting a locking movement ofsaid lever to move said movable jaw into open position, and a springmounted on said housing in operative engagement withthe pivoted leg ofsaid lever urging it to an over center locking positionfor maintainingsaid pivoted jaw in its closed position.

2. Ahook structure comprising in combination, a'housing including astationary jaw and an L-shaped jaw pivotally supported in said housing,an L-shaped lever having oneleg pivotally supported insaid housing, alink .having one end pivotally connected to the leg of said L-shaped jawand the opposite end thereof pivotally connected to the free end of thepivoted leg of said jaw, the axis of the pivotal connection between saidlink and said L-shaped lever being oiiset from a line passing throughthe pivotal connection between'the link and the jaw arm and the pivot ofsaid lever, an operating arm pivotally supported in said housing havinga cam portion op'eratively engageable with the other leg of said leverfor effecting a locked movement of said lever to move said movable jawinto open position, and a spring mounted on said housing inoperativeengagement with the pivoted leg of said lever urging it to anover center locking position for maintaining said pivoted jawin itsclosed position.

3.-In..a hook structure comprising a housing 48,48, mounting astationary jaw 52 and a movary; jawadapted to engage therewith when the4 hook is. closed, the combination therewith of: an arm extension 5!vupon said movable jaw integral therewith and disposed approximatelytransverse to the hooked end thereof, a lever arm 6| pivoted (at 60) onsaid housing in spaced relation to the jaw pivot 55, a link means 58pivotally connected at its opposite end to the free end of said armextension (at 51a) and the adjacent end of said lever arm (at 58a)vrespectively, said pivotal connections 51a, 58a of said link means beingarcuately movable about the axis of the pivotal mounting 55 of said jawand the axis of the pivotal mounting 60 of said lever arm respectivelyfrom hook open position (Fig. 3) with the pivotal connections 57a, 58aof said link means in substantial alignment with the pivotal mounting 55of said movable jaw to hook closed position (Fig. 1) with, the, pivotalconnection 51a, 58a of said link means in substantial alignment with thepivotal mounting B0 of said lever, and a spring 64 on said housingurging the pivotal connection 5841 between said lever arm and link meansto an over center locking position for maintaining said hook structurein its closed position.

4..In a hook structure comprising a housing 49, 48 mounting a stationaryjaw 52 and a movable jaw 56 pivoted (at 55) in said housing having ahooked end 56a extending toward said stationary jaw adapted to engagetherewith when the hook is closed, the combination therewith of: an armextension 51. upon'said movable jaw integral therewith and disposedapproximately transverse to the hooked end thereof, a lever arm 6|pivoted (at 60) on said housing in spaced relation to the jaw pivot 55,a link means 58 pivotally connected at its opposite end to. the free endof said arm extension (at 51a) and the adjacent end of said lever arm(at58a) respectively, said pivotal connections 51a, 58a of said linkmeans being arcuately movable. about the axis of the pivotal mounting.55 of .said jaw and the axis of the pivotal mounting 60 ofsaid lever armrespectively from hook open position (Fig. 3) withthe pivotalconnections 51a, 58a of said link means in substantial aligmnent withthe pivotal mounting-55 of said movable jaw to hook closed position(Fig. 1) with the pivotal connection 51a, 58a of said link means insubstantial alignment. with the pivotal mounting 6-0 of said lever, aspring ,64 on said housing urging the pivotal connection 58a betweensaid lever arm and link means to an over center locking positionformaintaining said hook structure in its closed position, and a lateralprojection on said movable jaw extending toward said stationary jawdisposed in the socket formed by said jaws and in the path of a loadinserted therein to be engaged by said load for swinging the movable jawfrom open position to closed position'against the tension of saidspring. v FREDRICK W. COFFING.'-

REFERENCES CITED- The following references are of record in the file, ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number. Name Date.

472,353 Hilton Apr..5, 1892 1,041,068 Greenbolgh Oct. 15, 1912 1,807,038Holden May 26,1931 1,813,294 Hunt July 7,-1931 2,085,012 Dixon June 29,1937 2,343,086 Schultz Feb. 29,1944

Beirise June 13, 1944

